The certainty of God's salvation

Sermon notes from Sunday 11 May 2014

Acts 17 verses 30 – 34

The certainty of God’s salvation

The apostle Paul has come to Athens and found out something about this people – they were very religious  They had a lot going for them in a religious aspect.  What does it mean to be saved?  There are a lot of different experiences in coming to God for salvation.  Noah’s ark was built for the salvation of the world.  There was only one door into the ark.  Every animal came from every part of the world but there was only one entrance

There has to be an awareness of sin.  That is made clear through the preaching of God’s own word.  “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”  Acts 17 verse 32 “when they heard”.  There had to be that awareness in their lives.  Until you are aware of the danger you are in, in your sin you will never be saved.  Peter in Acts 3 preached about the person of the Lord who came into the world as a little baby, grew up as a man, preached about how he would die on the cross.  That was his purpose in his life – to die.  To make a way of escape.  To provide salvation for you and I and there on the cross he carried that out.  He loved you with all his heart, with the greatest compassion he ever had.  Peter preached about the power of Christ.  He found nobody in the tomb when he went to find him.  The chains of death couldn’t hold him any longer.  There is a great power to lift you from the sin you are in.  Peter preached about a pathway that had to be taken.  There is a pardoning that is waiting for you.  It all came through the preaching of God’s word.  Verse 37 “when they heard this they were pricked in their hearts.”  An awareness of their sin.  Was there an awareness of your sin when you came to Christ first and foremost?

An action that has to be taken.  The Bible says “when they heard this”.  They listened to this and realised they were not walking with God.  On the night you were saved was your conscience pricked?  When David lay on his bed in the evening time he couldn’t sleep so he got up and it was then that he saw Bathsheba.  He had to have her.  He lay with her.  He did wrong in that he coveted.  The Bible says you shouldn’t do that.  David had her husband killed.  Not only committed adultery but he committed murder.  Naboth came to David and told him a story about a rich man and a poor man.  The rich man took the poor man’s lamb.  David was upset and said that wasn’t fair.  Naboth turned to him and said “you are the man.”  Psalm 51 “before God I have sinned.”  He was made aware of his sin.  “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”  That is our starting point in life.  An action that has to be taken.  Jesus spoke of it himself – “there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.”  That is the starting point.  What do you do when you are made aware of sin?  There is an action to be taken.  As Paul preached here to this religious people “in your ignorance God winked at it now he commandeth all men everywhere to repent.”  Maybe until this point in time might have never thought of your souls salvation.  God is beginning to speak to your heart and soul.  You realise something has to be done.  It is God that saves not a church, a preacher or a denomination.  God points to an action that must be taken.  In Athens Paul told them you have to repent.  When Peter preached on the day of Pentecost people knew there was action to be taken.  There has to be a repentance.  The rich young ruler realised he wasn’t saved.  When the Lord was in that area he ran to him.  There was a hunger in his soul.  He came to the feet of Jesus and asked him “what must I do?”  An action that must be taken.  Jesus pointed to the commandments.  “All these have I kept from my youth up.”  He realised there was still something lacking.  Have you ever come to that place where you realised there was something missing?  Jesus said to the young man “go sell all you have then come follow me.”  Is the Lord saying to you “it is time to come to me and in coming to me you must be prepared to leave that scene behind.”  There is an action to be taken.  You are not going to drift into God’s salvation.  It is a place of choice.  Remember Joshua when he brought the people to the Jordan.  He asked them to “choose you this day whom you will serve.”  There is an awareness of sin and an action to be taken.

There is an acceptance that takes place – verse 34 “and believe”.  They heard the word of God.  They hung on to the Lord and believed.  They took the Lord as their own and personal Saviour.  The Lord calls for you to step out and accept him as Saviour.  Acts 2 verse 41 “when they heard this.”  Peter preached and “they gladly received his word and were baptised and there were added unto them 3000 souls.”  The Holy Spirit came down upon them and they took the Lord as Saviour.  Here was a people who were made aware of their sin.  They were shown an action that must be taken.  Never be saved if don’t accept the Lord as Saviour.  “What shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul.?  Jesus himself said what good would it do to hold onto a few religious relics hoping that was the way you would get into heaven?

There was an assurance that was granted.  “To as many as believed on him gave he the power to become the sons of God.”  “These things have I written unto you that ye might know you have eternal life.”  Do you know you have eternal life not an emotional experience?

Labourers in God's harvest field

Sermon notes from Sunday 11 May 2014

Matthew 9 verses 26 – 38

Consider for a moment the role of a labourer.  We started out meeting at a very specific palace. The Lord had been brought to the home of Jairus.  He had a girl with a sickness that brought her to the point of death so much so that they took it for granted that she was dead.  Jesus came into her home, took her by the hand and she stood alive on her feet as a result of that act.  Great fear spread because of what had been done.  He is speaking here in terms of the harvest as he looks on the multitudes gathered all around him.  Speaking here of a spiritual harvest.  Upon his heart he has a great compassion for the souls all around him.  He was opening the hearts and minds of his disciples to the great need and the fact there were no labourers.  Every farmer needs a harvest.  There is great planning that goes into it.  The farmer goes out and plants his seed.  He prays for the right temperature so that seed will produce.  The farmer knows at the end of the year there is a great urgency to get that crop in.  He will hire labourers to bring that harvest in.  The labourers are required today to reach others with the gospel of saving grace.  What are the qualifications of a labourer today?

The labourers are appealed for.  “Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”  The Lord is asking for specific prayers.  The Lord knows there are a multitude of people who need to hear of their need of salvation.  Sadly they have been blinded by the God of this world.  We have the responsibility to pray that God might send forth more labourers.  We have lost the interest of taking that need to the God of heaven.  Acts 2 as they ministered in that group, meeting together, studying the word of God and praying the Holy Ghost said “separate unto me Silas and Barnabas.”  It only happened when they fasted and prayed that God really began to work.  In Acts 16 Paul and the team were waiting on a door to open for them.  Paul has a dream of a man beckoning to him “come over into Macedonia and help us”.  That man was appealing to God to send someone to preach the gospel to them.  That is what God is asking for.  Are you a labourer?

The labourers are appointed.  The farmer is not going to come to me and say “I need you to do this work for me.”  He knows I wouldn’t have the ability to do it.  The labourer is appointed.  Jesus said you are to pray that God would send forth labourers.  It is not you that does the appointing but the Lord himself.  Jesus sent out 70 labourers in Luke 10.  He selected and sent them out himself.  It is to those who are labouring that he asks them to pray for more labourers.  We never should pray for others to do a work we are not prepared to do ourselves.  The instruction is for us to pray that the Lord would send forth labourers.  The man in Macedonia wasn’t disappointed.  He asked for help and Paul was sent by God to do the work.  After he had seen the vision “immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.”  The Holy Spirit was active in that whole account.  The God of heaven is waiting for you to pray.  When the Lord looked on the multitude his heart was full of compassion.  They were lost and going out into a lost eternity.  The labourers are appointed in answer to God’s prayer.

The labourer has an accountability.  Acts 3 God reached down and called Paul and Barnabas from the very midst of the church.  If God calls people to come forth make sure they are ready to be part of his work.  Are we prepared to be labourers today?  Are we prepared to pray for labourers today?  Will you leave yourself open to God to even be that labourer? 

Believer's Baptism

Sermon notes from Sunday 15 June 2014

Acts 8 verses 26 – 40

The Ethiopian eunich is a great example of every father and grandfather taking leadership and responsibility.  We don’t know much about him but just that he held a very responsible office as chief of the Treasury under Queen Candace of Ethiopia.  Here we are meeting a man with a tremendous love for the things of God.  He travelled from Ethiopia to Jerusalem to worship the God of heaven.  There were 3 times when people would travel to worship in Jerusalem and one of these was the feast of Pentecost.  As he is down on this particular occasion something happens to him.  As he returns to Ethiopia something touched his heart and he wants to find out more.  Out on the desert road he is reading the word of God.  Something has made him turn to Isaiah.  God deals with us in various situations as he was dealing with this man.  Maybe it was through what he had experienced in Jerusalem.  Maybe you have felt God touching your heart over the past weeks.  God manufactures the situation for himself.  You have felt the stirring of God in your heart.  Somehow God has spoken to you.  Maybe already God is dealing with you today.  As you lifted your head today you knew God was with you and dealing with you.  “Take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to thee.”  Would you step out today in obedience to do what God asks?  God brings this man to the place of salvation.  As he makes his way in verse 36 “they came unto a certain water.”  Once he saw the river whatever it was touched his heart again – “see here is water what doth hinder me to be baptised?”  He said this to the evangelist that had first pointed him to Christ.  He was simply asking ‘is there anything you can point me to that I shouldn’t be baptised.”  Philip replied “if you believe on the Lord as Saviour there is nothing.”  Today let us think of the conditions of baptism.  Not thinking here of infant baptism but believers baptism.  What brought this man to this position in his life?

There is a genuine conversion.  Not saying if you are not baptised you are not saved.  All I would do is point you to Luke 23 for the proof of that.  There we find Calvary just outside Jerusalem where 2 thieves hung on crosses and the Lord also hung in their midst.  They were placed on the cross which was raised from the earth.  As the scripture unfolds on that particular day these men were cursing the Lord, swearing at him to his face, both were as bad as each other.  As the day wore on the Lord began to deal with the hearts of these 2 men.  One man realised he was going out into eternity and something in his heart made him realise that the person on the middle cross was very special. And on that middle cross he bought your sin and my sin.  He came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost.  We have to take him into our hearts and lives as Saviour.  The thief was listening to the other man.  “We are here because of our own sin but this man has done nothing amiss.”  He asked the Lord “remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom” and Jesus replied “today thou shalt be with me in paradise.”  He didn’t get down from the cross to be baptised but he was still saved.  Baptism is not necessary for salvation, it is for obedience to God.  Ephesians 2 “for by grace are ye saved through faith.”  It is not a ritual ceremony.  You are saved by faith today, only one way by placing trust in Christ.  Genuine conversion.  It also involves an unveiling of the scripture.  “Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”  Here was this man in Acts 8 sitting in his chariot.  He had heard something in Jerusalem that made him open the word of God at Isaiah the prophet.  It was the account of the lamb being led to the slaughter.  When he was reviled he reviled not again.  He loved you with an everlasting love.  There has to be an unveiling of scripture.  There also has to be an understanding of scripture.  For the scriptures to be unveiled there has to be preaching of the word of God.  Remember when Jesus told the parable of the sower and likened it to the preaching of the word of God?  There was a hard ground – why was it hard?  The seed was only lying there and the birds of the air would come down and peck it up.  That is like those who hear the word of God and don’t understand it.  You have to understand the scripture.  We all have sinned and cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  You have got to understand how you have sinned.  It came directly from Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden.  It has been passed down from generation to generation.  How can you be saved?  Jesus took your place and my place and died on the cross.  There has to be an unfailing faith too.  The scripture might be unveiled to you, you might have a good understanding of it but you haven’t taken the third step.  Acts 8 verse 37 “if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest.”  He was referring to experience he had minutes before when he placed his unfailing faith in the one who came into the world.  He saw the one dying on the cross of Calvary, who had done no offence that we might go free.  The eunich asked “is this the one the scripture is speaking of or someone else?”  With his unfailing faith he trusted Christ as Saviour and Lord.  Does that match up to your experience today?  When you heard the word of God did you believe in the word of God?  Did you trust the Lord as Saviour?  Is that a genuine experience for you?

A gracious concern.  It is only then by God’s grace that he leads, directs, guides us.  Every motivation after conversion is from God.  Here is a man who realises baptism is the next step.  He knows he has had his sins forgiven and is on his way to heaven.  Now he wants to do something for the Lord.  This man is a leader in his country.  Imagine the people with him listening to him asking the Lord, trusting the Lord as Saviour, see him stopping the chariot and going down into the water to be baptised.  He is taking his stand for the Lord.  That is what baptism is.  This man was coming from Jerusalem, from the Pentecost feast.  The day when the Holy Spirit came.  He probably saw Peter opening up the word of God and begin to preach.  He preached about the Lord coming into this world, how his works were approved by God.  In his death the Jewish people chose Barrabas over Jesus.  Then as Peter preached there was no doubt he saw something.  The Holy Spirit came down and began to move amongst the people.  The people cried out “if this be the case what shall we do?”  3000 people that day repented and trusted the Lord.  They were also baptised.  What a scene that eunuch saw that day.  He realised when those people believed the next step was baptism.  No doubt as he returned that day he realised the importance of knowledge in Christ but also the desire to be baptised.  Nothing stood in his way to be baptised.  The Lord left 2 commandments – one was the Lord’s table for every believer “this do in remembrance of me”  and also baptism.  Remember it is for us he died and one day he will come again.  The eunuch realised this was a symbol of what he had just done.  An outward profession of an inward change.  He was not getting baptised to be saved.  He is going through the waters because he is saved.  Have we put paid to the old life or do they still haunt us?

The glorious character of baptism.  Believer’s baptism is what scripture teaches.  The outward sign of an inward work of divine grace in the heart of man.  It is showing the change of heart and direction.  We are really glorifying the God of heaven.  Baptism is an act of worship.  The Philippian jailer in Acts 16 was baptised along with his whole family.  Many take this to reinforce infant baptism as they state there must have been infants in the house today.  Remember Lydia who met the Lord at the riverside in Acts 16.  Both her and the Philippian jailer could have gone down to be baptised at the river.  John 3 verse 23 “John also was baptising because there was much water there.”  Emphasising total immersion.  Baptism means to be totally immersed.  Romans 6 Paul dying in Christ in baptism rising again to new life as come out of the waters.  Baptism is for believers.

Surely this was the Son of God!

Sermon notes from Sunday 13 July 2014

Matthew 27 verses 34 – 54

“Surely this was the Son of God”

What was it that moved and motivated this Roman centurion to say these words?  He could have believed that Jesus was the Son of God but had never declared it openly until now.  What influenced him to say it?  3 aspects – what he knew about Jesus, what he saw that day and what he heard that day.  As we go through these points ask yourself – what do you know about Jesus?  .

What he knew about Jesus.  It doesn’t tell us specifically what he knew.  His job for that day was to put to death 3 men on the cross.  He was in charge.  He had some input into how the crosses were made.  Think of the down post and the crossbeam.  That is where our picture of the cross stops.  This is not the picture given in God’s word.  There was an accusation put across Jesus’ head.  Some would say these words were maybe written into the cross but we do know they were written in Greek, Hebrew and Latin.  They were probably written on another crossbeam above Jesus’ head.  Perhaps people could read it clearly from the ground.  The King of the Jews was the title given to him.  Many in the world today want Jesus as Saviour but not King of their lives.  All of our wills, ambitions, plans and desires must be given to him for him to be king of our lives.  Remember the words of the hymn “King of my life I crown thee now.”  Unless he is King we are not bringing the honour he richly deserves.  The old thief on the cross who repented of his sin cried out “remember me (as Saviour) when thou comest into thy kingdom (as King).”  All that was planned that day was planned by God so many years before.  The Roman soldier would have known the accusation of Jesus.  He would also have known about his arrest probably.  It was probably talked about by the soldiers.  John’s gospel tells us when he was arrested and they came to take him Jesus asked them “whom seekest thou?”  Then the scriptures record “the men fell backwards.”(John 18 verses 4 and 6)  That shows Jesus’ power and authority through his voice.  Each one of us will one day find the power and authority of the voice of Jesus when we stand before him in judgement, when he will separate the sheep from the goats.  When Jesus will say “depart from me I never knew you” or when he will say “enter into the rest I have prepared for you.”  That is Jesus’ power and authority being shown.  That power and authority caused his arrest.  Many say he has delayed his coming again but he delayed coming in a familiar story in the Bible when he raised someone from the dead.  He knew a family who lived in Bethany – Mary, Martha and Lazarus.  Lazarus took ill and died one day.  The sisters sent for Jesus but Jesus delayed in coming – why – “so that others would believe.” (John 11 verse 15)  When Jesus arrived in Bethany he told them to take away the stone.  The people said that Lazarus had been dead for so long and his body would stink if they took the stone away.  Jesus then spoke “come forth” to Lazarus“. The scriptures record that “he cried with a loud voice” meaning he yelled (verse 43).  He could have done it with a still small voice but he wanted everyone that stood there to be left in no doubt.  The Bible goes on to say “from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.”(verse 53)  The Roman soldier would have also known about the acclamation Jesus received a few days earlier.  As Jesus was coming into Jerusalem riding on a donkey all the people praised him.  The Roman soldiers would have talked about this too.  Matthew 21 verse 10 “the whole city was moved saying who is this? Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”  Maybe that is why the soldiers mocked him so much as a king.

What he saw.  The centurion saw the greatest day in history with his own 2 eyes.  Only we could imagine it.  How much more blessed are we to understand what was happening that day than they were.  He saw the darkness over the land.  Why was there darkness on that day?  God couldn’t bear sin and therefore he caused darkness to pass over so that sin would not be shown.  Darkness was for our benefit to help us understand the great judgement he was going through in bearing our sacrifice.  Darkness in the bible is a sign of judgement.  Remember the 10 plagues in Egypt – one of them included darkness.  The Israelites did not experience the darkness only the Egyptians.  On the cross Jesus also prayed for his earthly mother.  He said to John “son behold thy mother.”  Notice the love he had and how it was shown clearly on the cross.  The last thing the centurion saw that day was the earthquake.  Jesus used nature to speak as he paid the final debt – Matthew 27 verse 54.

What he heard.  He heard the conversion of a sinner.  The thief opened his heart and mind to accept the Lord as Saviour.  He realised Jesus’ righteousness and his own unrighteousness.  Here was a man who was not going to let Satan believe that death is the end.  Many do believe that today.  We need to focus not only on the here and now but on the Saviour’s everlasting kingdom when Jesus would be king forever.  Remember the Lord’s Prayer – “thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.”  He also heard the cry “my God, my God why hast thou forsaken me?”  The human heart was feeling the abandonment of God on his soul.  There’s a massive difference between the judgement Jesus bore on the cross for our sin and what we will face if we reject Christ as Saviour.  God has told us in his word that our judgement for sin will be for eternity.  He also heard the words “Father into thy hands I commend my spirit.”  It shows Jesus was still in control of his destiny.  “It is finished” was the cry of triumph.  His blood had satisfied Jesus’ judgement.

What this man seen, heard and knew about Jesus caused him to declare he was the Son of God.  Each one of us needs to believe Jesus is our Savour to be sure of a home in heaven one day.

The word of God - rediscovered, read, revered, bringing repentance and reform

Sermon notes from Sunday 1 June 2014

2 Kings 22

We can trace every revival back to the word of God.  Even in our land and province revival came through the word of God.  Think of the revival in the 1700’s with John and Charles Wesley and Whitfield.  God really touched them and set them on fire for the things of God.  The church doors were shut down to them, there was a great apathy and coldness in the society they lived in.  Everything was at a low ebb.  Think of the 1859 revival in our province - men looking into the word of God and preaching it to people.  4 men in Kells gathered together for prayer and to read God’s word.  Revival came from those men.  They not only had the word of God in their hands but in their hearts.  Josiah was only a young man, 8 years of age when he came to the throne and began to seek after the God of heaven.  He hadn’t much going for him.  Manasseh was his grandfather.  He was the one who lay on his bed and pleaded with God for an extra 15 years of life.  In those years his own son Amon was born.  Amon was one of the wickedest men who ever ruled.  In later years he had a change of heart.  When he died Josiah came to the throne.  He turned his heart towards the God of heaven.  Things began to happen in his kingdom.  Think of Josiah and the word of God.  Verse 11 it was the book of the law that brought conviction to his heart.  The book of the law was God’s word.

A book that was rediscovered – verse 8 “I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord and Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan and he read it.”  It was not any old book but God’s word.  Moses first wrote down the words God spoke to him on the mountainside.  That book had been set aside.  Ammon had turned against God.  The temple was misused, bolted up, doors closed so that no-one could enter in.  Replaced the worship of God and set up idols and they worshipped the sun, moon and stars.  It stands to reason didn’t need the word of God.  So it was set aside in the nation of Israel.  Everyone turned their back on the word of God.  Even the very leaders did at one time.  No special search was made for this book.  Perhaps set aside by some old apostate king who had turned his back on God.  So many philosophers and teachers tell us today the bible is an ancient book, it is out of touch with the young people and we need something else now.  ‘Our land doesn’t need this book’ we hear it day after day.  Without this book people were living by ritual.  They didn’t know which way to turn.  “Every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17 verse 6)  In the days of Naomi the family gathered together when the head of the house made a decision to go to Moab because he had heard there was food to eat there.  Moab was a wicked place.  The man died and so did his 2 sons.  Naomi was left with her 2 daughters in law - all because they thought they were doing what was right.  We need to get before the God of heaven and ask for his direction - is this the correct way to go?  The Lord will show us if only we ask.  Here was a rediscovered book.  Paul in Romans talked about the word of God being held down – chapter 1 verse 18 “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness.”  They are supressing the word of God and not opening it up.  Isn’t that what we have today?  People who don’t hold the word of God in high regard.  The 2 men on the Emmaeus road, their hearts were opened as Jesus opened the word of God to them.  Maybe someone had set the book aside because they felt they didn’t need it.  Maybe some apostate king did it or perhaps godly scribe did it to keep it safe for another generation.  Are we doing that – safeguarding the word of God for another generation?  The old sceptic said he couldn’t believe the bible because he couldn’t believe a book where the author is unknown.  A Christian in the meeting spoke to him – do you believe in the multiplication tables?  Yes the sceptic replied.  The Christian asked who compiled them?  The sceptic said I do not know but I believe them because they work.  I believe in the Bible because it works the Christian said to him.  Queen Victoria said “this is what made Britain great – standing on the word of God.”  Joshua told the people to meditate on the word of God day and night.

This book was read in Josiah’s day – verse 11.  He heard the book and rent his clothes.  The priest read it in his presence.  When the priest found that book he realised it was no ordinary book, something that should be in possession of the king.  Not a possession of the nation to be set aside in a glass cabinet and only read on special occasions but rather to be read day and daily.  “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119 verse 11) The Psalmist wrote.  The word of God is to be meditated on, kept hid in our hearts, taking time to ponder over it.  In many homes today the word of God is not present.  The only time it is taken out is when death comes to the home.  The goal of the great reformers was to place the Bible in every person’s hand, in their own language.  There were many who translated it and for some it cost them their lives.  We need to get back to the reading of God’s word.  You and I need to get back into the word of God and read it and meditate on it.

This book was revered – verse 14.  2 Chronicles 34 this was no ordinary book – verse 14.  It was given by Moses.  This priest realised the importance of the book.  It was God’s word given to the nation through Moses.  Many think it is an old book and out of date but it is perhaps more relevant than tomorrow’s papers.  2 Chronicles taken into the palace revered, given a place of prominence, priority and importance.  This book was revered, taken to the highest position.  The bible should receive the highest esteem.  Is it so in my life?  Are there so many books in my life that I take it for granted?  I wonder do we take this book into homes and other places where we go?  Is it upon our lips?  Do we tell others about this book or is it hidden in our hearts?  Do we love to get together just to talk about this book?  Malachi 4 verse 16 “then they that feared the Lord spake one to another.”  The Lord hearkened to their words.  Acts 8 as they went they were scattered about preaching the word of God.  Such was the revered word.  As we celebrate 40 years we need to be making sure we revere the word of God.  We might give generously to our missions, to those who take the gospel to other lands but we need to take the word of God to our neighbours, to people who haven’t heard the word of God.  Will you take the word of God to them?  Will we seek to share the word of God with others?

The book brought repentance.  The king rent his clothes and put on ashes.  Ashes were a symbol of repentance.

The book brought reform.  The king asked the priest to ask God what would happen in the future. He sent to consult the prophetess Huldah, who assured him that the evil foretold would indeed come, but not in his day; "because," she said, "thine heart was tender and thou didst humble thyself before the Lord." An assembly of the elders of Judah and Jerusalem and of all the people was called, and the ancient covenant with God was renewed.

The Lord is My Shepherd

Sermon Notes from Sunday 8 June 2014

PSALM 23

This is one Psalm that gives the illustration of life itself.  The Psalmist talks of the various stages of life.  Imagine the Psalmist sitting on the hillside watching the sheep grazing.  They are so content and as the Psalmist looked he could think of the goodness of God bringing him to that very hour.  The sheep had food to sustain them.  The shepherd himself was looking away to the splendours of heaven and saying “the Lord is my shepherd”.

Verse 1 – the decision of the Psalmist – “my”.  Can you say the Lord is my shepherd today?  For the Psalmist he put the Lord first in his life.  Have you trusted the Lord as Saviour?  Has he forgave you of all your sin and do you know that experience of the Lord taking away your sin?

Verse 2 – the direction of the Psalmist.  The moment he put his trust in the Lord, the Lord was leading him.  Are you still going on with the Lord?  Maybe you made that decision some years ago but is the Lord as real to you today as then?  Are you still being guided and led by the Lord?

Verse 3 – the delight of the Psalmist.  Every step the Psalmist took the Lord was with him – “he restoreth my soul.”  The Lord is feeding us all the time.

Verse 4 – the despair of the Psalmist.  Now the Psalmist is in the valley.

Verse 5 – the defence of the Psalmist.  Once we put the Lord first in our lives, have made that decision to take him as Saviour and he is leading us so we know the delights moment by moment but there will be despair in the midst.

Verse 6 – the destiny of the Psalmist.  We have 2 destinies.  One is the awful place called hell for those who are not saved but the Psalmist sees the splendours of heaven waiting for him on that day when he steps from this scene of time.

In verse 4 we want to look at the valley experience of the Psalmist.  In that low place he hears every sound and it frightens him.  The sun seems far away, he is right at the deepest part of the valley.  He is looking for some glimmer of light but there is none there.  In verse 2 the Psalmist says “he leadeth me”.  The shepherd is so certain of this.  In the shepherd’s leading the Psalmist has to pass through many dark valleys just to get where God wants us to be in life.  In Psalm 40 the Psalmist was in an awful pit.  There was nothing solid in that miry clay.  There was nothing he could do for himself.  All he could do was lift his voice and cry to the God of heaven.  What a place to be in, on the run from Saul the King of Israel.  Saul did not like David, the crowd was on his side.  “Saul has killed his thousands and David has killed his tens of thousands” the people shouted.  Saul chased him out into the forests and dens.  His own son Absalom turned against his father.  David the shepherd boy became the King of Israel.  2 Samuel 22 “as for God his way his perfect.”  On all occasions David could say “the Lord knows best.”  Job was also in a valley.  Remember one morning he arose, washed and dressed and went out to make sacrifice for his family.  News came later in the day that his flocks, herds and family were all wiped out and sickness then prevailed against him.  Right down in the valley he could say “he knoweth the way that I take” (Job 23).  This is what the Psalmist is saying.  He knows the way I take yet he had to go through the valley of the shadow of death.  Maybe it is hard to see a glimmer of light.

The valley’s pace – “yea thou I walk”.  He is walking through it.  The Lord doesn’t run him through it.  It strikes me as slow process, taking time to get right through that valley.  It is not a fleeting thing.  The commentators would say Job’s sorrow lasted 2/3 years.  The heartbreak of his family no longer around him.  He had to go through it before there was a glimmer of light.  Sometimes we want to rush through things.  Life can be a real plod, a slow pace.  Maybe in this valley time you feel yourself not going anywhere, you are really trying but you are going nowhere.  That problem exists.  Maybe you have prayed about it for 20 years day in and day out but the situation has not changed.  Jairus was a leader of the synagogue, an upright man, a bible teacher, a man of prayer.  In his own home he had a daughter of 12 years of age.  He loved her with all his heart.  One day she fell sick and became worse as the days went on.  Do you think he prayed about it?  I think he did.  Imagine his prayers “please heal my daughter, have mercy on her.”  We don’t know how long that situation prevailed, how long she was ill or how long Jairus prayed.  He contacted Jesus and poured out his heart to the Lord asking him to come and lay his hand on his daughter.  The Lord followed after him.  Another woman with an issue of blood was also healed.  Jairus I am sure was impatient with all that was happening.  The pace in the valley is slow.  You would love something to happen but you must wait on the Lord.

The valley’s presence – “for thou art with me.”  The Psalmist will enjoy something in this valley he had never experienced before.  David’s proved the presence of the Lord in the midst of this.  John Wesley was on his deathbed in 1791 with his followers gathered around his bedside.  They sang hymns and prayed with him and then started to say farewell as the dark clouds closed around him.  Wesley said “best of all God is with us.”  He knew the presence of God.  Are we enjoying the presence of God today?  Even in the depths of sorrow we can enjoy God’s presence.  Daniel was in the lions den, not there because of anything he had done wrong.  Others were jealous of him but even in the den fear could not even annoy him there.  Why?  Because God had closed the mouth of the lions.  He felt God’s presence in his midst.  Paul talked about his “thorn in the flesh” and how it prevailed on him for some considerable time.  Imagine his prayers asking the Lord to take it away.  The Lord told him “no I will not take it away, my grace is sufficient for you.”  Every day Paul you will have the grace on you.  Even though Paul was in the prison house, had been beaten and was tied in stocks and he wrote letters to the churches to encourage them but he never once asked for any of them to pray for him.  The Lord promised Paul his presence instead.  You will never enjoy the grace of God until you are in that situation, until you are going through that time of sickness.

The valley’s peace.  The hymn writer could say “there is peace in the valley for me”.  One night after D L Moody preached someone spoke to him.  That person was going through a difficult time but he said he rested on this promise “what time I am afraid I will trust in thee.”  D L Moody asked him if he could give him something better – “God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid.” (Isaiah 12 verse 2)  There is a peace we can get – Hebrews 13 verse 5 “The Lord will never leave you nor forsake you.”  The people the writer was speaking to were afraid.  They were going through a difficult time, afraid of losing their homes, their finances, their families and even their lives.  The verse goes on to say “so that you might boldly say the Lord is my helper I will not fear what the enemy will do to me.”  David went out to fight Goliath.  He didn’t have the support of his brothers who thought he was just an upstart and seeking his own glory.  When he went down into the valley to meet that man with all his cursing and swearing he was able to say “you have come to me with all your armour, your military ability, great stature and history behind you but I am come in the name of the Lord of Israel.”  He had a peace even standing with just a slingshot and 5 stones in his pouch.  You can have that peace in the valley today.

The valley’s prize – “yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death”.  Whatever problem you have today the Lord will go through it with you walking beside it.  As we go back to the first line of the Psalm is he your shepherd?  No matter how dark the valley he will take us through it.  The Psalmist had his eye on the glories of heaven as he walked through the valley.

The woman with an alabaster box of oil

Notes from a sermon heard on Sunday 13 April 2014

Luke 7 verses 36 – 50

In verse 37 we are given the description of this woman – “which was a sinner”.  In the world today there is a great desire, billions of pounds are being spent in the search for something that would unite all humanity, something that all people would have in common.  In the word of God we are given a common denominator – Romans 3 verse 23.  “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. “ “There is none righteous no not one.” (verse 10)  This is what unites.  If humanity would only recognise this fact the world would be a better place to live in.  When we are born we are born in sin, shapen in iniquity, guilty before the eyes of God.  Ezekiel 18 verse 4 “the soul that sinneth it shall die.”  We are all sinners.  The first thing we are told of this woman was she was a sinner.  Without that acknowledgement, acceptance there can be no salvation.  “All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64 verse 6)  If there is no acknowledgement of sin and sinnership there can be no salvation.  In the face of sins guilt we have a beautiful fragrance of grace. 

As she moved from that position of guilt in to the position of grace notice the sin that enslaved her.  Verse 47 – “her sins which are many are forgiven.”  If we had been there we would have said she was a great sinner.  Even the Lord said she was such.  She was a prostitute, completely enslaved by sin, absolutely no escape.  Maybe that is not your position.  Maybe it is the sin of good living and self-righteousness – your position, your career, greed, maybe alcoholism, gambling, morality.  Maybe you are saying to yourself surely God doesn’t see me the same as he saw this terrible woman.  Who is perfect in any way?  The Lord said in John 8 verse 34 “whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” Because we are sinners we are the slaves to sin.  Without the Lord you are the servant of sin.  Not a sin in this world that you couldn’t add to, not one.  We are born in sin, shapen in iniquity and because of that there is no sin we couldn’t commit.  Do you think the drug addict, the alcoholic ever started out to be what he became?  It never was in their plan or thoughts but sin enslaved them.  Sin can enslave every man, woman, boy and girl.

The faith that encouraged her – verses 37 and 38.  Here is this woman of the night who sees in the Lord the only man who would ever treat her right, never turn her away.  Even in spite of who she was, all she had done in her life she had faith enough to know Christ could change what she had become to what she could never be.  Maybe you have tried everything the world has to offer.  You are searching for a Saviour.  The only one who can meet you at the point of your need.  It has found you in this meeting tonight.  It is the grace of God that has brought you here.  It was the grace of God that led this woman to do 5 things she knew – verse 37 “when she knew”.  The Lord is near to you, fully accessible to your soul, ready to meet you at your soul’s need.  If you are ready to come tonight, to be born again then my Saviour is here to do just that.  She secondly brought an alabaster box of ointment, a poignant thing to do.  Pouring out oil as a token of confession of her sin.  She had used that ointment to lure men to her in the past, now she was pouring it out as a confession of her faith.  If you would be saved, born again, know your sins cast away you need to confess your sin.  You can hide nothing from the eyes of a holy God.  Thirdly she wept – this was no time for laughter, it was no light thing she was doing.  It was not some momentary feeling, not caught up in any hype.  She was coming with a broken heart.  She knew what she was doing and it was life changing.  She was coming fully broken in her life, to know God.  She knew that if this man would turn her away there was no other to save, to redeem, to love her and she would be for ever lost.  You cannot come to God half-heartedly.  Not saying I will try it, give it a go.  That is not how it works.  “All to Jesus I surrender, all to him I freely give.”  Here was a woman who came fully broken in her heart, handing over every issue in her life, every sin, every situation, everything that had messed up her life.  She was laying it all before the Lord with tears, putting all her heart and soul in coming to Jesus.  Fourthly she kneeled.  If she was kissing his feet she must have been kneeling to do it.  She wasn’t worried about who would see her, those Pharisees, religious leaders, all their religiousness, arrogance, whispering, not worried if they got the wrong idea, what society would think of her.  She had one aim – to get to the Lord, get to the place where he would notice her, where his voice would speak to her – that is the place she wanted to be.  You cannot come to Christ and argue your righteousness.  If you want to be saved must come with a humble and broken heart.  Scripture tells us there is a day coming when before the Lord every knee shall bow and confess him as Lord.  If you do not want to kneel before him as your judge then kneel before him as your redeemer.  Verse 38 “she kissed.”  She poured out all her love before him.  No-one could ever have her again whatever happened.  Now she would never be the same again, never going back.  The Lord never asked her to do any of those things, not one.  It was a true repentance led by the grace of God, granted by the Holy Spirit.  True repentance knows how to approach the Saviour.  The sin enslaved her.  The faith that encouraged her.

The love that encompassed her.  Verses 44 – 50.  Verse 48 “Thy sins are forgiven thee”.  4 essences make up this grace.  Firstly she received the Lord’s approval.  Verses 44 – 46 – reminder of Psalm 23 “thou anointest my head with oil”.  While all around her there were sneers and sniggers Christ accepted her.  You didn’t deserve to be saved, none of us deserve to be saved.  If God is speaking to you, convicting you of your sin, when you trust Christ you don’t care about the world’s approval.  There is only one thing that will matter – his approval.  Come as you are.  He will meet you as you are.  She met with the Lord’s forgiveness - verse 47.  “Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white a snow, though they be red like crimson they shall be as wool.” (Isaiah 1 verse 18)  We come n repentance to Christ.  She found in the Saviour the sin bearer.  Not only took her sin but made her as white as snow.  Imagine a woman like that being white as snow.  So disgraced by sin.  “As far as the east is from the west so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103 verse 12)  He will make you as white as snow.  Not only that – he will keep you as white as snow.  The one who made you white keeps you white, clothed with his righteousness, blessed with the Lord’s assurance.  Verse 48 “thy sins are forgiven.”  No pastor, preacher or priest could say this.  No religion can give this assurance.  It is only from the Lord that you can have this blessed assurance.  Receive it from Christ himself.  You cannot be saved and not know it.  You cannot pass from death to life and not know it.  The Holy Spirit will make his home in your heart and you will know it.  Assure you on the authority of the word of God.  He will give you blessed assurance of sins forgiven.  Fourthly she was commissioned with the Lord’s power – verse 50.  Saved, cleansed, redeemed, a new creature in Christ.  Now the Lord says “go in peace.”  New life you have now received.  The power compels you – tell everyone all I have done for you.  Romans 10 verse 9.  There has to be a confession and a going.  The minute you go and tell there is a double portion of that assurance comes into your heart. Now you are a new creation, living in the peace of God that passeth all understanding